Hairdo Dilemma
by Quill-and-Parchment
Summary: Frontier. There was, after all, a reason why Kouji generally avoided electricity sources. This one-shot explains it all. Friendship.


**Hairdo Dilemma**

_by_

_Quill and Parchment_

Kouji threw Takuya a look that held enough force to knock down an elephant. The effect, however, was sadly completely lost on the other boy, for the goggle-head was on the ground and laughing too hard to notice anything short of a lightning bolt hitting an inch from his ear. He didn't even look like he could draw enough breath, and briefly, very briefly, Kouji wondered if it would be too much to ask of the gods to make this annoyance suffocate to death.

After all, Takuya deserved it.

"Oh – my – gods…" Takuya gasped, the grin on his face making the Cheshire cat smile seem like a quirk of the lips. The other boy straightened slowly, gave Kouji (who was starting to go from annoyance and embarrassed to murderous pretty fast) a look before sending forth a mighty snort that set his nose running and collapsed on the grass, hugging his stomach again.

Laughter rang out across the clearing as Takuya now came from curling into himself to rolling around, kicking and pounding his fist against the ground, tears streaming down his face. Oh, holy mother, just _imagine_ what the rest of their friends would say once they saw…once they saw…

The memory flashed across his mind again, and Takuya laughed even harder, if that was possible. He had never thought it possible that he would be treated to such a sight – looks like the Powers That Be understood that heroes need comic relief every once in awhile after all. Takuya definitely wasn't complaining.

"Are you done yet?" Kouji asked, his voice cold. At the tone his friend used, the brunette fought down the last of his mad giggles and slowly got to his feet, carefully keeping his eyes diverted from Kouji. Well, Kouji's _head_, to be exact. Still, a chuckle escaped, and Takuya clamped his hands over his mouth, trying to control himself.

Kouji scowled, pale hands running through his hair in a vain attempt to tame the wild mane. He'd asked for a guide to the cave their Digivices have mentioned, yes, but he did not ask for it to be an electric-type Digimon filled to the brim with treachery. He also did _not_ ask for it to shock him.

No harm was done. It hurt all over, but it was more than tolerable. He could handle that. Takuya took it out while he was still trying to recover from the shock, so he guessed he own the other kid that much. All in all, Kouji was okay. Really.

It was Takuya who dealt the critical blow to his pride.

_Does the silly idiot know when to stop?_ Kouji thought irritably, glaring at Takuya who was avoiding his face upon pain's death with trembling lips. The dark-haired boy's hands twitched, and he tried to stop himself from strangling his friend. Takuya was one of the team's two strongest members, including Kouji, and killing the annoying little moron right then would only result in trouble for them. Plus, Kouji didn't want to explain to the rest why he was committing murder – that would bring this little…inconvenience…up, and he wanted to avoid that at all cost.

"Let's go," Kouji said curtly, heading back to the trees. They would have to find their way back to the cavern, and if he remembered correctly, they would have to head south. Kouji glanced at the sky. The sun was at his right, and it was afternoon…He was leading them in the right direction.

As they walked, there were the occasional chuckles from Takuya, but Kouji pointedly ignored them, still trying to smooth out his hair. It was quite hard, though, considering the new hairstyle that stupid Digimon just gave him for free. Minutes passed, and Kouji forgot Takuya was there altogether, his eyes straight ahead and his mind preoccupied by his hair. Why oh why did that Digimon not give _Takuya_ a shock of all people? Why him?

Right. Because he was in front of the goggle-head.

A hand suddenly found its way on his shoulder, and Kouji jerked back in surprise, turning around to face its owner. Takuya was still grinning at him, but he wasn't looking as hysterical as he'd previously looked. "Here," the other boy offered him a small, blue plastic comb. It looked small enough to fit into his pocket, which might have been the place he'd kept it in all this time anyway.

Kouji raised an eyebrow. "A comb? I didn't know that you give any effort to that nest you called hair, Takuya." He directed his gaze at the boy's disheveled mop on top of his head. Far as he knew, the boy didn't even try to keep it clean or at least straight, despite Izumi's scolding. Something about fashion these days.

Takuya scowled at him. "Quit being a jerk. My little bro gave it to me as a 'present', and I forgot to throw it away." Something flickered in his brown eyes, but it was gone just as quickly. Kouji caught it, though, because he could remember the same feeling welling up in him times and again: homesickness. Takuya would never throw the comb away now - it was his last reminder of the world they used to be in.

They stood still, looking at each other for a few more moments before Kouji snatched the brush out of Takuya's hand, "hmphed", and started running it through his hair while they continued to walk. Six minutes later, Kouji finally got it to return to its original form again. He tossed the comb over his shoulder without looking and started tying up his hair. It was still a little fuzzy, but he could live with that.

He finished tying the bandana back where it belongs and looked around. Yes, they were close. Kouji could remember that tree with that particular heart-shaped bush. It had been well over an hour, Kouji estimated, so the others should be there by now. If not –

"Hey, Kouji," Takuya said, interrupting his thought.

"What?" the other boy asked, glancing back at his companion curiously. Takuya was once again wearing that big smile of his, and the brunette could not bite back a small fit of giggles when Kouji looked at him. Seeing the other's brow creased in annoyance, however, Takuya hurried to finish what he wanted to say.

"You look great in an afro, you know that?"

There had been questions surrounding the bruise on Takuya's arm when they joined up with the rest, of course, but to their friends' surprise, Takuya only broke out in another fit of giggling that threatened to kill him. Kouji's response to their questioning eyes had been a vehement glare in Takuya's direction before he turned away, crossed his arms and refused to say anything.

Years later, Takuya still collapsed into giggles whenever "Kouji" and "afro" were mentioned. Nobody could explain why, and their efforts to press either were in vain. It was a little secret between the two boys, after all: one they would carry to their graves and beyond.

Needless to say, Kouji carefully kept away from any sort of electricity sources after that.

* * *

_Another oneshot. Once again, because romance is so overrated these days, and because I like the concept of them two being friends. Read and review._

_Sincerely,  
~Quill_


End file.
